London, 16th July 2026 - Forget souvenirs, 2026 is all about chasing the cosmos. New data from KAYAK shows that as the solar eclipse sweeps across Greenland, Iceland and Northern Spain on the 12th August, UK travellers are searching for flights to be under its path. This will be the first time since 1999 that solar eclipse totality has been visible from mainland Europe.

According to KAYAK’s What The Future Report 2026, 34% of travellers say awe-inspiring experiences are a top priority this year, while 55% say natural wonders will actively guide where they go on holiday.

Nowhere has that appetite been more apparent than in flight search data for destinations along the eclipse’s path of totality. Comparing year-over-year flight searches for travel between 8th and 16th August 2026 and 2025, searches for flights to Reykjavik more than doubled, while the Cantabrian Coast covering Coruna, Bilbao, Oviedo and Santander have risen 201%.

Reykjavik comes out as the standout option for rare astronomical moments, with it being the first Total Solar Eclipse visible from the destination since 1433.

DESTINATIONS TO VIEW THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE BY INCREASE IN UK FLIGHT SEARCHES (August 2025 vs. August 2026)*:

Cantabrian Coast, Spain: +201%
Reykjavik, Iceland: +102%
Valencia, Spain: +82%
Madrid, Spain: +42%
Palma de Mallorca, Spain: +20%
Porto, Portugal: +14%
Barcelona, Spain: +6%
The good news for last minute solar eclipse chasers is that average flight prices to several of the destinations on the path of totality have fallen year on year. Travellers in Barcelona will be able to witness 99.9% of the eclipse - and it’s seen the biggest price drop of the eclipse viewing locations compared to last year. Mallorca also comes out as a top choice for both nifty travellers and eclipse chasers seeking fewer crowds, with flight prices down 13% year-over-year and coastal locations like El Arenal offering perfect viewing opportunities over the horizon.

TOP SOLAR ECLIPSE VIEWING LOCATIONS WITH PRICE DROPS**:

Barcelona, Spain: £111 (2026) vs. £131 (2025), -15% year-on-year
Palma de Mallorca, Spain: £135 vs. £155, -13% year-on-year
Porto, Portugal: £201 vs. £220, -9% year-on-year
Valencia, Spain: £165 vs. £182, -9% year-on-year


Rachel Mumford, KAYAK UK Travel Expert, said: “We’ve started to see a real shift in what travellers want from a holiday, with moments that stop you in your tracks increasing in popularity. Some of the best placed destinations to catch the solar eclipse are proving to be good value options, showing that you don’t need a once in a lifetime budget to see a once in a lifetime moment.”

ENDS


About KAYAK
KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is a leading travel search engine. With billions of queries across our platforms, we help people find their perfect flight, stay, rental car and vacation package. Trusted by millions of travellers, the KAYAK app makes travel planning seamless on iOS and Android, and we also support business travellers with our corporate travel solution.

Notes to Editors

Methodology

*This data is based on flight searches made on KAYAK.co.uk and its associated brands between 2026-01-01 and 2026-06-22 for travel between 2026-08-08 to 2026-08-16 with departure from any airport in the UK. These were compared to searches made between 2025-01-01 and 2025-06-22 for travel between 2025-08-08 to 2025-08-16. Percentages for changes in searches are approximate

**This data is based on flight searches made on KAYAK.co.uk and its associated brands between 2026-03-01 and 2026-06-22 for travel between 2026-08-08 to 2026-08-16 with departure from any airport in the UK. These were compared to searches made between 2025-03-01 and 2025-06-22 for travel between 2025-08-08 to 2025-08-16. All prices are average prices for economy, return tickets. Prices may vary and savings cannot be guaranteed.

The image herein is only to be used for the purposes of promoting KAYAK in conjunction with this article.